Card filing equipment



April 11, 1950 G c, BRUEN 2,503 611 CARD FILING EQUIPMENT Filed July 10, 1946 VENTOR. GEORGE c. eRugiQ eceAs o BY -sOFHlE E. BRUEN,EXEGUTRIX ATTORNEY Patented Apnll, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,503,611 GARD FILING EQUIPMENT Application July 10, 1946, Serial No. 682.679

'8 Claims.

The present invention relates to card filing equipment, and particularly to such equipment providing a dust-proof storage enclosure and adapted to use in places where the space required for use and storage is limited.

An object of this invention is to provide unitary card filing equipment adapted to convenient andexpeditious handling of a large number of cards in a small space and in which the cards may be enclosed for storage or exposed for use in practically the same space.

As a further object, the present invention provides card filing equipment, wherein a base and a connected card-carrying tray coact to provide a unitary and substantially dust-proof container, and in which the tray seats upon the base to support the tray with the cards exposed during use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide card filing equipment wherein a tray and a base occupy practically the same space on a support when the cards are exposed for use, and in which the tray and base are interconnected for swinging movement of the tray relative to the base between open and closed positions and in the space above the base.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the one sheet of drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of card filing equipment embodying a preferred form of the invention and depicting the parts as they appear when closed;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the card filing equipment taken substantially at the position indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation of the card filing equipment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of the card filing equipment shown in Fig. 1 wherein the movements of the parts between open and closed positions are depicted;

Fig. 5 is an end view partially in elevation and partially in section which shows the parts in their open position and illustrates certain details of construction; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view depicting a detail of the preferred construction.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings for purposes of illustration, the disclosed card filing equipment includes a base 8 and a card-carrying tray 9 which are so interconnected that the cardcarrying tray 9 may be swung end-over-end "relative to the base 8 between open and closed positions wherein the cards are either exposed or en-' closed. As shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the tray 9 is held by the base in either an inverted or storage position or in an upright or working position, and in either position occupies practically the same space relative to a work support, such as a desk.

The general construction and arrangement of the base 8 and tray 9 are such that when the tray is in an inverted or storage position relative to the base, they provide a substantially dust-proof enclosure for the cards. On the other hand, when the tray is swung to the open position, the cards are exposed for ready access- Since the tray may be swung end o-ver-end in the space above the base between the open and closed positions, it follows that the disclosed card filing equipment requires only the desk or support space which it normally occupies. That is, no space in addition to that occupied need be allowed for the opening of doors, drawers or the like.

Considering the various parts of the card filing equipment in more detail, the tray and base may both be made of various materials, but the disclosed embodiment is depicted herein as being manufactured from wood, plywood or the like.

As shown in Fig. 1, the base 8 has a bottom [0 with side walls I2 and I3 secured thereto in opposed and parallel relationship on opposite sides thereof to form a channel-like assembly open at the ends and top. In the inner faces and adjacent the top of each of the side walls I2 and i3 is a longitudinally extending channel recess 14. The channel recesses in the opposed side walls are opposed and substantially parallel to each other at positions adjacent the top edges of the side walls. Secured within each channel recess by appropriate means, such as screws I la, are metallic channel guide runners 14b, which guide runners have therein longitudinally extending guide slots I4'c. Adjacent each end of each channel, a recessed metallic insert [5 is mounted to serve as a part of a readily releasable holding detent.

The tray 9 has a substantially fiat bottom H5, at the opposite ends of which and secured thereto are end walls I! and I8, which, by preference, have vertically curved outer surfaces 24 and 25. As shown in Fig. 5, the tray end walls, together with the bottom H5, carry card-supporting bars l9, which bars extend longitudinally between the end walls in laterally spaced and substantially parallel relationship. The end walls I! and I8 have integral extensions 20 and 22 of a height such that when the tray is inverted, they substantially fill the space between the open ends of the base side walls. Also, the extensions 20 and 22 desirably present outwardly diverging and opposed card-supporting surfaces 20a and 22a, respectively, facing toward one another, as shown in Fig. 4. Cards 23 are carried by and are movable longitudinally along the bars I9. The upward divergence of the extension wall surfaces not only conforms to the natural position assumed by the cards but also provides support for the cards in a slanting position which promotes ease of separation and inspection.

The outer surfaces 24 and 25 of the end walls I! and I8, respectively, have recesses 26 and 21 therein for use as handles during the swinging movement of the tray relative to the base or when the unit is transported.

on opposite sides the tray has side walls 28 and 29 which extend along the full length of the tray between the end walls and are of a height somewhat less than that of the base side walls. The width of the tray, including the side walls thereof, is sufficiently less than the internal width of the base between its side walls that the tray is freely movable therebetween. The tray side walls, together with the tray bottom and extended end walls, provide a box-like housing for the cards 23 when the tray is inverted relative to the base; while in the upright position of the tray, the side walls of the tray and base extend to substantially the same height.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, each of the cardcarrying bars I9 has a sectional shape such that it comprises a substantially cylindrical and longitudinally extending upper bead I9a, a substantially cylindrical and longitudinally extending lower bead I91), and an integrally formed and relatively thin intervening web I90 connecting the beads. By preference, the lower bead I9!) is smaller in section than the upper head I 9a.

The bottom I6 of the tray is provided with parallel and longitudinally extending channels 30 which open outwardly of the bottom and are adapted slidably to receive the lower beads I9b of the card-carrying bars. Desirably, and to provide support for the bars I9 throughout their lengths when the tray is turned to various positions or inverted for storage, the outer edge portions of the channels 30 are restricted by flanges 32 to an extent such that the open edge portions thereof slidably confine the webs I90 of the bars and are narrower than the beads I917. The webs I90 of the bars I9 extend upwardly from the base to an extent such that the upper beads I9a are in paced and parallel relationship to the surface of the bottom I9 and desirably support the cards 23 in spaced relationship relative to the base.

The end wall I! of the tray, as depicted in Figs. 3 and 5, has apertures 33 which are aligned longitudinally with the channels 30 in the bottom I6 and are of a size such that the bars I9 may be slid endwise into the channels therethrough. At the other end of the tray, the end wall I8 has recesses 34 therein, which are aligned with the channels 30 to receive and provide stops for the ends of the bars I9. When the bars I9 are fully inserted into the channels 30 and their ends extend into the recesses 34 in the end wall I8, their lengths are such that their opposite ends extend into the apertures 33 of the end wall IT.

The card-carrying bars I9 are releasably held in place longitudinally of the tray by apertured metal plates 35 and 36 mounted for sliding movement laterally of the tray and relative to the end wall I! on retaining elements, such as wood screws 31, extending through longitudinal slots 38 in said plates. A compression spring 39 is mounted between outwardly turned flanges 40 on adjacent ends of the plates 35 and 36 to bias the plates to bar-holding positions across the apertures 33, as shown in Fig. 3. The adjacent flanges 49 on the plates 35 and 36 serve as grips which may be manually pressed together against the biasing force of the spring 39 to retract the plates from across the ends of the bars I9. When thus retracted, the card-carrying bars may be slid endwise from the tray through the apertures 33.

The cards 23, which are preferred in the present instance, have substantially keyhole shaped slots 42 opening toward one edge thereof, which slots are spaced and of a size to fit over the upper beads I911, in which position they grip the bars so as to stay in position even when the tray is completely inverted to the storage position.

Two bars are preferred for supporting cards of usual size and weight in aligned relationship and spaced from the base, although other numbers may be employed when desired.

By preference, also, a space is provided between the lower edges of the cards and the bottom of the tray so that the cards may easily be moved from one position to another along the bars regardless of their direction of slope, and readily separated without binding on the tray bottom I6.

Located between the bars I9 at each end of the tray base and attached to the bottom and end walls, respectively, are block-like bumpers 44 with outwardly diverging and opposed card-supporting surfaces 44a and 44b, respectively, facing toward one another, as shown in Fig. 4. The upward divergence of the block-like bumper surfaces further support the cards in a slanting position in cooperation with surfaces 29a and 22a of the tray end wall extensions.

Projecting laterally from each tray side wall and partially located in axially aligned bores 45 in the end wall I! are two spring-urged connecting elements 46, which connecting elements are preferably located near one end of the tray and adjacent the top edge of the tray side walls. As depicted in Fig. 6, each connecting element 46 comprises a cylindrical body portion 41 slidable in the recess 45, and has a stem 48 projecting inwardly of the bore from one end of the body portion, and a guide button 49 which projects axially from the other end of the cylindrical body portion. The stem has adjacent its inner end a flange 53. Located within each recess 45 and around the inner end of the stem is a compression spring 54 which abuts the flange 53 and the inner end of the bore 45 to bias the guide button to an extended position in which it projects outwardly of the tray side wall. Attached to the stem 48 of each connecting element, by welding or the like, is a handle 56 by which the guide button may be manually retracted against the biasing force of the spring 54 to move the guide button from its projecting position.

Each guide button has a projecting shank 59 and a flanged end portion 52 which normally projects outwardly of one of the tray side walls. The extent of such projection is limited by the engagement of the handle with one end of a slot 51 in the end wall-through which said handle extends into an exposed position within the tray. Normally the shanks are slidable in the guide slots I4c, while the flanged end portions 52 move tion within the space above along the inner suriaces of guide runners 1412.. When retracted, by manual force applied to the extending end portions of the handles 58, the flanged end portions 52 of the guide buttons may be withdrawn from the guide slotsthrough enlarged "end openings 55. While the guide buttons are retracted from disconnected and may be separated from the base.

Spring-urged detent 58 is located on the outside of each side wall of the tray adjacent the end wall 18. These detents are adapted'to fit into the recessed metallic inserts on the inside of the base side walls,re1easably to retain the tray in either its upright or inverted position relative to the base.

When the tray is within the base, so that the guide buttons are within the channels, the tray may be swung end-over-end about the axis of the guide buttons while the buttons slide along the channels, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, so that the tray can be moved from an upright or working position to an inverted or storage posithe base. When the card-carrying tray is'in the inverted position, the side walls of the base overlap the side walls of the trayand the extensions on the end walls of the tray fill the space between side walls of the basetoprovide a substantially dust-proof storage enclosure for the cards 23. By inverting the tray in the manner described, it may be swung from an inverted to a working position, the swinging movement all taking place within the space directly above the base, so that no extra space on the desk or support is needed for turning the tray to expose the cards. When the cards are exposed for use, the bottom of the trayrests adjacent the bottom of the base. 'In addition to being stored and usable in the same occupied space on the support, the tray is readily removable from the base for separate use elsewhere.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not intended that the invention is to be limited to the precise details of the construction set forh,'but shall include all of the changes within the scope of the appended claims.

the guide slots, the tray is Having thus described the present invention,

what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In card filing equipment the combination of a housing portion having a base and two opposedside walls secured together and open at opposite ends, longitudinal channels in opposed and parallel relationship in said side walls adjacent the top edges thereof, detent :recesses adjacent the ends of each of the channels, a card-carrying tray having a bottom, two opposed side walls and a pair of end walls having outer surfaces curved in a direction normal to the bottom, said end walls having extensions on the sides thereof opposite the bottom, the side walls of the tray extending between the end walls thereof and together with said bottom forming a second housing portion, axially aligned guide means projecting from the exterior of each of said tray side walls at one end thereof which are slidably mounted in said longitudinal channels of the first mentioned housing portion, spring-urged detent means in the opposed outer surfaces at one end of the tray side walls in positions for releasable engagement in said detent recesses, card-carrying rails extending in spaced and parallel relationship longitudinally of said tray between and parallel to said tray sidewalls, and means for releasably securing said card-carrying rails in said tray, said card-carrying tray being of a size and shape such that it fits between the side walls of the first mentioned housing portion and is swingable and slidable relative thereto and about the axis of said guide means to upright or inverted positions, said card-carrying tray'being open and supported by the first mentioned housing portion when in an upright position, and said housing portions providing a sub--,

stantially complete enclosure when said tray is in the inverted position.

2. 'In card filing equipment the combination of a'housing portion having a base and two opposed side walls secured together and open at opposite ends, channels extending longitudinally of the side walls in opposed and parallel relationship and adjacent the top edges thereof, a card-carrying tray having a bottom, two opposed side walls and a pair 'of end walls, said end walls having extensions on the sides thereof opposite the bottom, axially aligned guide means on the exterior of each of said tray side walls at one end thereof which are disposed for, channels, and card-carrying means extending longitudinally of said tray between the side walls thereof, said card-carrying tray being swingable and slidable about the axis of said guide means to upright and inverted positions, said cardcarrying tray being ospenat the top when supported by the housing portion in an upright position, and said card-carrying tray and housing portion providing a substantially complete enclosure when said tray is in the inverted position.

3. In card filing equipment the combination of a first housing portion open at its opposite ends, channels in the top marginal portion of said housing opposed to one another and extending longitudinally of said first housing portion, a, second housing portion having a bottom, side and end walls, and extensions on said end walls, axially aligned guide means at fixed positions on the exterior of said side walls at one end thereof and slidably mounted in the longitudinal channels of said first housing portion, card-carrying means in said second housing portion, said second housing portion being swingable and slidable about said guide means in the space directly over said first housing portion to upright or inverted positions.

4. In card filling equipment, the combination of a first housing portion having opposed channels in spaced and parallel relationship and extending longitudinally of the top marginal portions thereof, a second housing portion having" upright or inverted positions, said second housing portion being open and supported by the first housing portion in said upright osition, and said housing portions providing a substantially complete enclosure when said second housing portion is in said inverted position.

5. Card filing equipment comprising, in combination, a base having a bottom with side walls secured thereto to form a rectangular channel open at the top and at its ends, elongated resliding movement in said cesses extending along the top portions of opposed and parallel relationship in said side walls, a card-carrying tray having a bottom with side and end walls secured thereto, said end walls extending from the tray bottom a greater distance than the side walls, card-retaining means in said tray, aligned exterior guide means on the outside of said tray at fixed positions at one end thereof and slidably mounted in said elongated recesses, the outer dimensions of said tray being such that it fits into said channel of the base in an upright position with the tray bottom resting against the bottom of the base, said tray also having an inverted position relative to the base in which the extending end walls of said tray substantially close the open ends of the base channel and the side walls of the tray and base partially overlap to form an enclosure.

6. Card filing equipment comprising, in combination, a base having a bottom and side walls, said base being open at each end and open at the top, a card-carrying tray having a bottom and side and end walls, said end walls of the tray being of a height greater than that of the side walls, aligned guide means on the exterior of said tray at fixed coaxial positions in the midportions and at one end thereof, means on said base adjacent the tops of the sides thereof for slidably and rotatably receiving said guide means, said tray end walls having outwardly diverging and opposed inner card-supporting surfaces, means for supporting a plurality of cards in separable and linearly movable relationship in said tray, said card tray being of a size such that it fits in said base either in upright or in inverted position, in which former position the tray bottom rests against the bottom of the base, and in which latter position the tray is supported relative to the base by means including said guide means, the side walls of the tray being disposed in partially overlapping relationship with the side walls of the base in said latter position of the base and tray to provide a substantially dustproof enclosure for cards.

7. Card filing equipment comprising, in combination, a first housing portion having side walls and a bottom providing a channel-like base open at the top and at its opposite ends, a second housing portion of substantially the same length as the first housing portion and including a bottom, side and end walls disposed to provide a card-carrying tray of a size to fit into said channel-like base between the side walls thereof in either upright or inverted positions, the upper edges of said base and tray side walls being substantially flush when the tray is in the upright position and the side walls of said base and tray partially overlapping when the tray is in the inverted position, the end walls of said tray being extended away from the bottom thereof beyond the side walls and in an amount suificientsubstantially to close the space between the base side walls when the tray is in the inverted position, the outer surfaces of said end walls being rounded in a direction transverse to the plane of the bottom of the tray, and means interconnecting the housing portions for relative endwise swinging movement about an axis fixed with reference to one of the housing portions between said upright and inverted positions of the tray relative to the base.

8. Card filing equipment comprising, in combination, a first housing portion providing a base, a second housing portion providing a card-carrying tray and having card-supporting means therein, said housing portions having relative sizes and shapes such that the first housing portion supports the second housing portion in an upright position and said housing portions coact to provide an enclosure when the second housing portion is in an inverted position relative to the first housing portion, and means interconnecting said first and second-housing portions for endwise swinging movement of said second housing portion relative to the first housing portion between said upright and inverted positions about an axis fixed with reference to the second housing portion and in substantially the space above the first housing portion.

SOPHIE E. BRUEN. Erecutria: of the Last Will and Testament of George C. Bruen, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 391,145 Hardin Oct. 16, 1888 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 361,325 France Apr. 4, 1904 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,503,611 April 11, 1950 GEORGE C. BRUEN, DECEASED It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 53, for filling read filing; column 7, lines 1 and 2, for the words extending along the top portions of opposed and parallel relationship in read in opposed and parallel relationship extending along the top portions of;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of June, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

